Shares at the KSE-100 index lost more than 600 points in early morning trade on Wednesday, amid the ongoing political instability in the country after former prime minister Imran Khan announced his decision to start a long march on Friday.

The benchmark KSE-100 index lost 632.39 points, or 1.5 per cent, to reach 41,557.64 points at 11:17am.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address to the Future Investment Initiative’ conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia could not make a positive impact on the market.

The premier had pitched Pakistan to the investors, adding that the country was open for business.

“Pakistan is ripe for market innovation. A new generation of Pakistani entrepreneurs are shying away from traditional businesses and turning their focus and energies to disruptive innovations,” he said.

“Let me assure you that today we as a nation are ready to reach out and grab the future with both hands. As the Prime Minister, I am determined to deliver efficient and competent governance in these difficult times,” the prime minister added.

This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly.